The Himalayan Times
Surya Nepal entrepreneurship award in offing
14 November 2011

KATHMANDU: Five intrepid entrepreneurs are to be recognised for their innovative ideas, commitment and vision for social change through the Surya Nepal Asha Social Entrepreneurship Award.

The award ceremony is scheduled for November 21, said said founding director of Change Fusion Nepal — the main organiser of the event — Luna Shrestha Thakur. “It is the first ever award to recognise domestic social entrepreneurs who create value for people, planet and profit.”

The award for each individual winner consists of a combination of financial, networking, mentoring and PR support, she said, adding that the jury — a panel of eminent experts with diverse backgrounds — will select the winners from among 66 applicants.

Surya Nepal has created a community empowerment initiative through Asha, under its corporate social responsibility activities. The initiative has already helped more than 300 women to obtain jobs after they received skill development training.

“Our vision is not only to acknowledge the unsung heroes but also to showcase their ventures and the impact they have made,” she said.

There will also be two events which are being organised immediately after the award ceremony; a seminar in which experts will interact with the young entrepreneurs and visitors on how to access finance, means to develop business plans and ways to implement them and a bazaar in which entrepreneurs can showcase their ventures and simultaneously learn, interact and share ideas with visitors and build networks. The seminar and the bazaar will be organised on November 18-19.

The whole event is being supported by Nepal Business Initiative (NBI) and sponsored by Surya Nepal. “We plan to make the Surya Nepal Asha Social Entrepreneurship Award into an annual event which will recognise and felicitate the hidden heroes – ordinary people, who have strived to bring about positive change in their communities and for their country by doing extraordinary work,” said managing director of Surya Nepal Sanjiv Keshava.

“There are many bright youths with the vision and passion to make a difference but they have neither the money nor knowledge to implement their ideas successfully,” Thakur said, adding that they are trying to provide such youth a platform and opportunities so that their ideas turn into sustainable ventures.